Who Do You Look Like?

I looked into the face of my grandson and saw the face of his Mom when she was 5! Her DNA was giving shape to that little face. In a sense, he bore her image. His relationship to her is unmistakable. Now let me ask, who do you look like? There’s a line in a Christmas carol that poetically describes the mission of the Christ: “Adam’s likeness now efface, stamp Thine image in its place.” God created us to bear His image. Think of that. He comes to our lives, broken and deformed by a sinful nature, heals us, infuses us with new Spirit-life, and transforms our appearance!

In ancient times, the king would set up an image (TSELEM) of himself in every corner of his empire so people would know whose kingdom they were in. Just in case you think we’re past that kind of thing, take note that politicians still hang their picture in public buildings! For the same reason that a king places images of himself around so people would know who was ruling, God wants to stamp His image in you and me to show Himself and His reign to this world! N.T. Wright observes that ‘God has placed his own image, human beings, into his world so that the world can see who its ruler is.'

This is what God reveals in Genesis when He inspired this passage: “Then God said, "let us make human beings in our image; in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish..." So God created human beings in his own image, In the image of God he created them; Male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:26-27) This is single most world-changing truth about human dignity and equality ever recorded. Imagine what it did to the heart of peasants and slaves when they heard that not just kings but EVERY human being was made in the divine image.

The fact that you were made in the image of God tells you not just about your worth, but also about your destiny. The main point of ‘image of God' language in scripture is not about some ability or trait we share with God, it is about the mission He has given us. God's plan was to graciously share His power through Spirit-breathed little dust bunnies. Through our learning, our work, our culture, our relationships, technology, the arts, medicine; we are- with humility - to add goodness and beauty to families and societies and creation so that God's whole project becomes a glorious delight to all who see it; “For the earth will be filled with the glory of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.” (Habakkuk 2:14) (Before you read on, go back and re-read that paragraph!)

Your destiny is to be contribute more creative God-given goodness to the earth than you can currently imagine; and to offer more earthy joy and gratitude to God than you can currently contain. Tom Wright has a beautiful picture of the IMAGO DEI. “Imagine God up above, the earth below. In between them, human beings are set at a 45 degree angle with a mirror.” Our job, our destiny, is to reflect the holy reign of God down on to the earth-to care for all of creation and particularly human beings the way God would want you to; and then to gather up all the goodness and delight of the earth and put it into words and offer it to God in worship.

The Bibles' language for this is: “you will be a king; you will be a priest.” Peter calls us ‘a royal priesthood… that you may declare the praises of Him who called you!’ This is not a solo act. We are to do this in community- a KINGDOM of PRIESTS.

• Are you letting the Holy Spirit do His work of the formation of the inner character—the spiritual formation— that lets the image of God (IMAGO DEI) be stamped in place of the sinful, broken likeness of Adam?

• Are you regularly and faithfully opening up your heart and mind to the Spirit in prayer, in Scripture intake, in worship (both solo and in church), in service to others, in meditation, in confession? We cannot make ourselves look like God, but we must be willing to let Him work deeply in us.

The ultimate destiny our Father has planned for us is revealed in this line from the Revelation: “The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the new city, and his servants will worship him...and they will reign forever and ever.” (22:3-5) And, we can start now, by leaving our old slave lives behind and letting Him raise us up to be seated in heavenly places.
(Today’s CoffeeBreak is a re-write of an article authored by John Ortberg, teaching pastor of Menlo Park Presbyterian Church)
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Make me more like You,
Jesus, make me more like You.
Give me a heart that filled with Love,
And make me more like You.

True assurance

When life gets downright gritty, down to the basics, on what will you stand? If you have not been there already, a time will come that tests everything you claim to believe. It may tragedy, it may success beyond your wildest dreams. It may be fiery criticism, it may be the applause of thousands. And, in the depth of your heart you will need an unshakeable assurance. What will it be? Some trust their intellect. Some trust their morality. Some trust their money, others their social status.

When the prophet Jeremiah delivered his sermons of judgment to God’s people warning them that God was done with their unfaithfulness, that He was going to let the armies of Assyria come down to reduce their cities to rubble, they responded with impatience, insisting that it could never happen to Jerusalem because it was the city of God, His symbolic dwelling place on the earth. Jeremiah said, "Do not trust in deceptive words and say, “This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord!” (Jeremiah 7:4, NIV) History tells us that he was right! The city was destroyed, the Temple was razed!

Our Christian hope, our true foundation, is Christ Jesus and the salvation provided by His Cross and secured by His Resurrection! It is not our church membership. It is not the good vibes we feel in our worship experience. It is not our ministry or our service to others. In our humanity we like to hold onto tangible tokens that help us to feel secure. “Look at my good works!” we say, just like the Jews of old who pointed the Temple in the center of the city! “I’m indispensable to the work of God,” we think, “so how could He allow bad things into my life?” If this is what we think when everything shakes, when circumstances come that strip away our illusions and/or pretensions, we are stunned, left hopeless and dismayed. But, if our hope is in Christ alone, we stand secure though all crumbles around us.

Here’s how Jesus taught this Truth: “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.” (Matthew 7:24-28, NLT) Paul, a man with much of which to boast in terms of heritage and religion said that he tossed all that aside. In terms of assuring his relationship with God he said it had the same value as dung! And he writes, "God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." (Galatians 6:14, NKJV)

Are you defined by the Love that Christ has for you?
When troubles come, when success beckons you sin in pride, are you holding only to the One who loves you?
That is true assurance.

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In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song!
This Cornerstone, this solid Ground;
Firm, through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
Here in the love of Christ I stand.


In Christ Alone

Townsend
© King's Way - Thank You

CCLI License No. 810055

Backsliding?

Have you ever been guilty of ‘backsliding?’  It is exactly as it sounds, sliding backwards from some higher goal.  For example, I’ve backslidden on a dozen diets! With determination to shed that 20 pounds, I eliminate cakes, ice cream, and potato chips from my menu. I do my daily walk faithfully … for a couple of weeks. You know how it goes.  More seriously, there have been habits I know are not consistent with my love for God. In some moment of conviction, I swear that I will change; and I do…  for a few days or weeks. Alas, I confess that sometimes I slide back into the old ways. What then? Must I live in guilty fear, ashamed, loving God, but from a distance?

Let’s learn from an old story of amazing love! The Lord pled with His people to return to Him. “I thought to myself, ‘I would love to treat you as my own children!’ I wanted nothing more than to give you this beautiful land— the finest possession in the world. I looked forward to your calling me ‘Father,’ and I wanted you never to turn from me.
But you have been unfaithful to me, you people of Israel! You have been like a faithless wife who leaves her husband. I, the Lord, have spoken.”

Voices are heard high on the windswept mountains, the weeping and pleading of Israel’s people. For they have chosen crooked paths and have forgotten the Lord their God. “My wayward children,” says the Lord, “come back to me, and I will heal your wayward hearts.” “Yes, we’re coming,” the people reply, “for you are the Lord our God." (Jeremiah 3:19-22, NLT)  

Again that final thought- “Return, faithless people; I will cure you of backsliding.” “Yes, we will come to you, for you are the Lord our God." (Jeremiah 3:22, NIV)

Spiritual fidelity cannot be sustained with raw determination or even behavior modification techniques. Every natural impulse tells us to get our act together and then to come and present ourselves to God. But, that is wrong. We bring our mess, our sin, our guilt, our shame to Him!  Yes, that is the way to be cured of backsliding. The Cross of Christ does not offer grace to the whole and holy. There God opened the way into His holy presence for sinners, even for backsliders. John’s familiar words are often addressed as though they were an invitation to those outside of the faith, but a closer reading shows them to be words for Believers, wonderful words of promise.

"If we claim that we’re free of sin, we’re only fooling ourselves. A claim like that is errant nonsense. On the other hand, if we admit our sins—make a clean breast of them—he won’t let us down; he’ll be true to himself. He’ll forgive our sins and purge us of all wrongdoing. If we claim that we’ve never sinned, we out-and-out contradict God—make a liar out of him. A claim like that only shows off our ignorance of God. I write this, dear children, to guide you out of sin. But if anyone does sin, we have a Priest-Friend in the presence of the Father: Jesus Christ, righteous Jesus. When he served as a sacrifice for our sins, he solved the sin problem for good—not only ours, but the whole world’s." (1 John 1:8-2:2, The Message)

To whom does John write?  “We” meaning himself and those in the Church that would read his letter. It’s an offer to backsliders! “Come home. Own your failure.”  In that response of faith, the Spirit is given access to lead us forward. It’s so counter-intuitive to the way we normally attempt change, which is focused on trying harder. The Lord not only forgives, He coaches us into maturity and intimate love.  

Do not misunderstand. Our backsliding has consequence and invites the Lord’s judgment. One only has to read the prophecies of Jeremiah to know that sin brings judgment. However, He is a gracious God, who loves us.  "God, the Master, The Holy of Israel, has this solemn counsel: “Your salvation requires you to turn back to me and stop your silly efforts to save yourselves. Your strength will come from settling down in complete dependence on me— The very thing you’ve been unwilling to do." (Isaiah 30:15, The Message)

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Just as I am, without one plea

But that Thy blood was shed for me,

And that Thou biddest me come to Thee,

O Lamb of God, I come! I come!

Just as I am, and waiting not

To rid my soul of one dark blot,

To Thee whose blood can cleanse each spot,

O Lamb of God, I come! I come!

Just as I am, Thou wilt receive,

Wilt welcome pardon cleanse relieve.

Because Thy promise I believe,

O Lamb of God I come I come.

Just As I Am

Elliott, Charlotte / Bradbury, William B.

© Public Domain

Fool’s Gold

Pyrite is the classic "Fool's Gold". Pyrite is so common in the earth’s crust that it is found nearly everywhere. It’s golden look, however, has made more than a few people think they’ve stumbled onto a rich vein of gold! Iron sulfide is often found near actual gold deposits which compounded the confusion of early prospectors.

How easily we can be tricked by the fool’s gold of life! I’m not talking about the obvious glitter and glam of wealth or celebrity. God offers us a rich life, deeply satisfying; His gift to those who will walk in His ways and make Him their true God. Self offers us another kind of satisfaction when we make it our god. Feeding our desires can provide satisfaction, too; and often one that is more easily and quickly available than the satisfaction that comes from Christ. But like pyrite, what we think is worth our great effort, proves to be worthless. The great tragedy is that many do not realize that they are buying fool’s gold until their treasure is all spent.

Jeremiah challenged God’s people to reflect on their lives. “My people have exchanged their Glory for worthless idols. Be appalled at this, O heavens, and shudder with great horror,” declares the Lord. “My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water." (Jeremiah 2:11-14, NIV)
"Your wickedness will punish you; your backsliding will rebuke you. Consider then and realize how evil and bitter it is for you when you forsake the Lord your God and have no awe of me,” declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty." (Jeremiah 2:19, NIV)

Think today.

Have you mistaken speaking positive words for genuine faith in God?

Do you think you can find peace with God through being morally upright and somewhat nicer than the average person instead of through receiving the grace of Jesus Christ?

Are you chasing after a ‘spiritual’ experience that is nothing more than an emotional high, confusing the work of the Spirit with mere exhilaration?

Have you allowed yourself to remake God in your image and likeness (fool’s gold!) or are you humbly inviting the Holy Spirit to work a transformation of character in you – though it cost you dearly of the things most valued by others?

Follow the way of Christ. It is true treasure.

"The payoff for meekness and Fear-of-God is plenty and honor and a satisfying life." (Proverbs 22:4, The Message)

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